Sacrifice=transformation

Romans 12:1-2 Sacrifice = Transformation

I beseech you therefore, brethren

To beseech means to ask urgently

It could be seen as begging

Paul is making a plea to our free will

God calls us to make a choice about the way we live for Him

What he’s ultimately saying in these 2 verses is; You have to decide to live for Him

This is something you do everyday

Each day you choose

Let me say this

It’s the little things that make the difference in your everyday life with God

Little is much when God is involved

Transitional Statement: God allows you and I to choose how and who we live this life for, do you live for yourself or for the Lord?

Believers’ live a certain way in light of what God has done for them.

In light of what God has done for us, why would you not live your lives a certain way for Him?

Has He done anything for you?

Of course HE has

You wouldn’t be here today if He hadn’t done something for you

There a people in this room that are living breathing miracles

The fact that you’re here is a testimony to the goodness of God and what HE’’S done for you!!!

By the mercies of God: Paul reminds us that we do this because of the mercy shown to us by God

The truth is, you and I are only able to offer ourselves to God while HE works His mercy in us

God commanded us to do this

And He makes it possible for us to do it

Think about all the mercies of God

Justification for guilt and the penalty of sin

We’ve been adopted into the family of God in Jesus

When God sees us HE sees us through HIS son

We’re placed under grace, not the law

We’ve been given the Holy Spirit

We’ve been promised to never be separated from His love

We got continued confidence in His faithfulness

Transitional Statement: In light of all this mercy — past, present, and future — Paul begs us to present your bodies a living sacrifice.

Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable

This is different than the usual sacrificial process

This means we bring all of ourselves to the altar

Our bodies, implies mind, spirit, soul and flesh

Transitional Statement: You make a conscious decision to submit the entirety of yourself to God.

The holiness we carry to the altar is our decision for holiness through submission to the will of God

Our reasonable service

This is the least we can do

Think about it like this

This is the first and most basic thing we can do as believers

He urges us in light of the mercy extended to us

To submit ourselves to the holiness of God

By being a living, breathing, representative of His mercy and grace

It’s the least we can do as an act of gratitude and thanksgiving

Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed

The world has a way of directing people to fall in line and adapt to the current status quo

Most people are like cattle being corralled and herded through life

Most never even realize the effect of secular assimilation

Conformity creates a similarity between you and the world

You look like the world

You sound like the world

You think and act like the world

But be ye transformed

Transformation comes from the Greek word metamorphoo

Which is where we get our word metamorphosis.

Definition: The process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form

A fully developed form

Transformation is the difference between a mature believer and an immature one

Age has nothing to do with maturity in Christianity, submitting to the will of God and being transformed does

Transitional Statement: The battle ground between conforming to the world and being transformed is in the mind of the believer.

Christians must think differently.

“I don’t want to conform to this world.

I want to be transformed.

How do I do that?”

By the renewing of your mind.

The problem with many Christians

They live life based on feelings or

They live their lives concerned about doing.

The life based on feeling says,

“How do I feel today?

How do I feel about my job?

How do I feel about my spouse?

How do I feel about worship?

How do I feel about the preacher?”

Transitional Statement: This life by feeling will never know the transforming power of God, because it ignores the renewing of the mind.

When you only focus on how you feel

You never consider renewing your mind

Because you're focused on renewing a feeling

You’ll buck transformation while chasing nostalgia

Let me help with you something

You can’t change the past